SCOTTSBLUFF – Panhandle Unified Command reported 6 new caronavirus cases Wednesday, including a 20-year old male who is the fourth Box Butte County case.
There were also 13 more recovered cases, including the only 2 active cases in Dawes County.
There have now been 344 positive cases in the Panhandle, but with 241 recoveries, leaving only 99 active cases including one in the hospital. There have been 5,692 tests in the region with a positivity rate that has climbed steadily over the last 2 weeks to an even 6%.
Testing opportunities continue to grow in the Panhandle. Chadron Community Hospital now offers free tetsing Mondays and Fridays from 7-9 am through the Test Nebraska program. Appointments need to be made at Testnebraska.com
The Gordon Clinic is offering testing in its parking lot today from 2-4 PM and next Monday and Thursday from 3-4 PM. For an appointment call 308-282-6334 or 308-282-1442
Statewide, the latest update yesterday from Nebraska Health and Human Services brought the total of COVID-19 cases to 20,425 with 15,031 recoveries and 282 deaths.
Just 97 patients were hospitalized, but the percentage of available hospital beds in the state slipped to 39%. Still, 48% of ICU beds remain available along with 78% of ventilators.